Dancing During Midnight
by JuviasPOV
Summary: With no other job avilable, Juvia somehow finds herself going on a job interview at Gray's Anatomy - a freaking stripclub. Gruvia/ Nalu/ GaLe/ Jerza/ Baccana
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, this is my first real ship fanfic (and it's in English! Eep!)... I don't really know what I'm doing but well, I almost never do. I totally ship Gruvia way too much to leave them be. This'll be fun. (Hopefully...)**

Juvia didn't exactly know what she was doing here.

Or well, scratch that, she knew she was looking for a job. But why here, of all places?

Truth was, Juvia's only skills were dancing and poetry, and since you couldn't just get hired as a poet - or at least, it was very hard to get published - Juvia figured she would try working as a dancer. It would be fun, right...?

But wherever she'd sought, people brushed her off. Her clothes were too odd, speaking in third-person was weird, she was too depressing and she liked the rain too much.

So here she was, a pretty prude girl holding a pink umbrella in the rain outside _Gray's Anatomy_. It was the last place you would've thought to find Juvia Loxar, but the twenty year old girl had swallowed her pride and went to search for a job at a _strip club_.

She balled her fist to knock at the door, and then she just left it hanging in mid-air, hesitating. Maybe she could try some other place first? Sure there was some dance studio left...?

She didn't have a chance to change her mind, because suddenly the door jerked open and a man was thrown out, wobbling a bit.

Juvia's eyes widened.

"I'm comin' wback Natshu!" The black-haired man slurring shouted at the guard, making Juvia notice him for the first time.

The pink-haired male just shook his head at the black-haired man who was holding a bottle of alcohol and constantly taking a swig of it.

"I know that Bacchus, you come back every weekend - no, scratch that, you come here almost everyday - and you know that if you get too drunk I'll have to throw you out."

The man - Bacchus? - snorted and walked away with his chin raised high, although it didn't make that much of an impression since he was wobbling back and forth, hickuping from time to time.

The guard was about to turn back inside when he spotted Juvia and froze on the spot before lighting a grin towards her.

"Did you want to come inside?"

Juvia stared at him, paralyzed.

"N-no, Juvia..." She mentally faceapalmed at her stuttering. _She had to make a good first impression!_

"Juvia was actually looking for a job here." Juvia said while tilting her head up to look at him.

The guy blinked in surprise, before snickering a bit.

"Okay then! Come with me here so we'll go to the owner and talk about that!" He said, and motioned with his hands for her to come inside.

"I'm Natsu Dragneel by the way", he said to her while closing the door. "If you're going to work here, we'll sure see more of each other."

"Juvia Loxar", Juvia shortly told him.

The place was crowded.

It was dark, hot and loud.

Juvia spotted a white-haired girl serving drinks at a bar in a corner, while a scarylooking red-head was guarding the place, effectively scaring away people who tried anything.

After rounding a corner and _finally _getting away from the people, Natsu stopped at a door, motioning for her to knock.

She knocked on the door, and while they were hearing footsteps coming closer Natsu whispered to her what an _asshole _the owner was, suddenly making her insecure.

An ink-haired guy with a frown on his face opened the door with a jerk.

"_What_, Flame-brain?" he said, obviously annoyed.

Juvia had a hard time thinking. Somehow was she drawn to the black haired guy - he just seemed perfect, like a god, unobtainable. Her heart beated faster than she was comfortable with, and her sweaty hands were shaking as she held her folded umbrella tight.

"This chick wanted a job, _Ice princess_", Natsu said while pointing his thumb towards her.

Juvia barely noticed. She was in a daze, staring at the black haired guy. Oh my, how she would love to trail her fingers down the lined abs on his -

"Juvia?" Natsu waved a hand in front of her.

"Sumimasen! Juvia did not hear what you were saying!" She told them, bowing her head in apology while trying to hide the blush crawling up on her neck. _Just what was that guy doing to her...?_

The owner looked at her critically, trailing his eyes up and down, tsking now and then and frowning. Juvia's blush reached her cheeks as she fidgeted in order to escape his sceptic gaze.

"She has the body, but her personality... She seems a little unexperienced. Not exactly a person you'd expect to work at a strip club, considering how unpredictable horny, drunk men are."

"Excuse her, but Juvia is quite the experienced dancer. She has danced in a lot of weird places."

The owner raised a brow. "So she has some courage at least... Although she's speaking in third person, but a lot of the men would probably just get turned on by that." He said, making a dismissal wave with his hand.

"Well then." The owner turned back to Juvia, making her knees turn into jell-o.

"I'm Gray Fullbuster. Your shifts will start at 8pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and end at 2am when the club closes. Will that be okay?"

Juvia didn't know what to say. She was still studying to become a full-fledged artist and finishing at 2am every Monday wouldn't do great for her sleep. But she needed the money, and she knew she had to do anything to get them.

"If it's not too much to ask, Juvia would like to work during Wednesdays and Thursdays as well."

Gray blinked, caught by surprise. Then suddenly the surprise was replaced by a snicker.

"Well that's a first! Okay then - Juvia was it? - Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and you get paid by tips, as you maybe knew", he said, looking at her to see if she was surprised.

"Juvia knows. She said she had danced in many odd places and she has." She stated.

Gray nodded. "Well then, get an outfit somewhere - for starters, you can probably borrow one of one of the other dancers - and then you start tomorrow. Put together whatever dance you want to, but I'll kick you out if you're bad enough to lower the club's reputation."

Juvia swallowed and nodded. "Arigato, Gray-sama. Juvia will not disappoint you."

And with a quick bow, she walked out of the room.

"Sumimasen!" Juvia tapped the blonde girl's shoulder. The stripper turned around, confused.

"Yes?"

"Juvia is going to start working here tomorrow, and she doesn't know if there's some clothing theme or something like that here."

The blonde blinked in surprise, before shaking Juvia's hand excitedly.

"So you're new, eh? You have to meet everyone! I'm Lucy, by the way", the blonde girl said while dragging Juvia towards a room backstage.

"Girls! We got a new one!" Lucy shouted while waving towards a group of girls with Juvia's hand.

A brown-haired girl holding a wine bottle came up to them.

"I'm Cana", she said and took a sip - a very, _very _large sip - from the bottle. "Thank goodness we're getting something entertaining, it always gets so boring when Bacchus gets thrown out."

Lucy rolled her eyes at the drunkard. "Cana's always like that, so you'll just have to get used to it. The sooner the better."

"Hello!" A petite blunette in a orange and white short top with a matching skirt - more like panties - said, sneaking up on Juvia.

"I'm Levy. Nice to meet you!"

"Juvia", Juvia stated.

"For your knowing, don't hit on the pinkette guard, the doorman or the blunette guard." Cana said.

"Huh?"

"They belong to these two and Erza", she said, motioning towards Levy and Lucy.

"Cana!" Said girls hissed.

"I'm _not _going out with Natsu, get that into your drunk brain!" Lucy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"O-okay... Who's Erza?" Juvia asked.

Cana pointed at the guard with the red hair and Juvia winced. Yeah, better not anger that one.

"And the guy next to her, with the tattoo, is Jellal. Forbidden territory." Lucy explained.

"And the doorman's not here today. So, what more do you need to know?" Levy asked.

"Ehm, what Juvia should wear..."

Lucy facepalmed. "Yes ofcourse! Just... wear what you're comfortable with. What do you like?"

Juvia blinked. "Juvia likes the water very much."

Lucy stroke her chin. "Do you like swimming, Juvia?"

Juvia tilted her head. "Yes?"

The blonde grinned. "I have the _perfect _outfit for you."

**A/N: So, first chapter done! In the beginning it was going to be a one-or-two-shot, but I realize that it'll have to be longer, tbh. Hope noone minds. :/**

**And I'm sorry, my writing skills are way too poor to write Gruvia fanfiction (jk. Everybody should write Gruvia fanfics uwu. Or atleast have the choice to do so, no offense GraLu/ Lyvua/ whatever shippers. Oh wait. If you're shipping them then you're probably not reading this and - where am I going with this?). Anyways, reviews and ratings and whatever are apprechiated (I can't even spell why the hell did I need to be Swedish help), because I need to know what to do better.**

**This is a sketch of what it's gonna be! Probably gonna edit this a LOT. **

**With that, BAI! ;* 44444**


	2. Chapter 2

**Dancing During Midnight - Chapter II**.

**A/N:**

**Guys. Guys.**

**I love you.**

**No, I really freaking do. I'm not kidding. In 13h, somehow my little Gruvia story managed to get 13 follows, 8 favourites and 5 super sweet reviews. I cried. I CRIED.**

**I never cry! (Okay except when someone dies in anime and it's really sad and I should go on with the author's note.) It made me so happy that I immidiately took up my iPad even tho I hate writing on it and started writing. I'm in school AT THE MOMENT RED EYED FROM CRYING HELP**

**Lucky me it's still about 40 minutes 'til we start, so I can rest in peace alone (with the teachers asking me why I'm early whoops), writinggggg**

**I decided that I'll roll with this story and try to write as much as I can because despite going to school (I'm turning 14, which means for this term I'm in 7th grade in Sweden.) I have quite a lot of free time.**

**Darkangellily: I am I just can't thank you uwu****（＾****ω****＾）**

**JoshTyron29: And I love you, random citizen****＼****(^o^)****／**

**BirgitteoO: You just managed to sum up the story and oh my gods ily(****・****ω****・****)****ノ**

**fylith: yOU ARE SO CUTE AS WELL ****ヾ****(****＠****ー****＠****)****ノ**

**Shadow Mystery: I really like you. I am not kidding. So far you have little to no errors in your personality and what am I doing THANK YOU ASDFGHJKL (((o(*****ﾟ****ﾟ*****)o)))**

**xgasai-yunox: EEEP ( ^****ω****^ )**

**And yes I have a Japanese keyboard don't ask me why**

**JUST BE HAPPY I'M WRITING ON MY IPAD FOR YOUR SAKE**

**oOoOoOo**

Juvia blinked. "A-a _swim suit_?" Lucy nodded excitingly.

"You could borrow one from me and then we'll just need some goggles and -"

"Shouldn't Juvia be wet if she's going to be a swimmer?"

Lucy's face reddened.

"Hold your horses cowboy, no need to rush things", Cana told her.

Juvia blushed. "Juvia didn't mean it like that."

Levy let out a little laugh. "We know that, Juvia!"

"But how would you be... Wet? Moisterising in the spotlights?" Lucy suggested.

"Juvia was thinking more like a water tank."

The three girls turned their heads to look at her.

"Juvia that's..."

"Actually quite a good idea." Someone spoke up, making the four strippers turn around.

The pink-haired guard perked his head through the door opening.

"I mean, if she's gonna be a swimmer, then why not go all out? How many guys would not be excited by a girl in a tank? That's like 'see but don't touch' all out."

"But the problem is, Natsu, that where the fuck would we find a water tank? That shit's expensive." Cana shook her wine bottle.

"Juvia knows someone who could build it."

Everybody turned around once more, looking at the girl.

"Juvia met him when she was swimming and he told her he's a glass master."

"But wouldn't a metal worker be necessary as well?"

"Juvia knows one of that kind. She will pay for the material herself." 

"Can't you just wear a mermaid suit then? If we're going all out?"

She sighed. So her she was again. The stripper's underworld princess has returned.

"Yes ofcourse, that would be better!"

"Juvia, how are you going to breathe?"

She flinched at the question, before relaxing again.

"Don't worry. Juvia has done this before. She'll just use one of her mini oxygen tubs."

The three strippers and the guard looked at each other before turning back to her.

"Well then", Lucy spoke up. "Welcome to the club – literally!"

oOoOoOo

Juvia knocked on the door that belonged to a red building with whiltered bricks and ivy growing thick on the walls.

"Lyon! It's Juvia!"

The door practically flew up.

"Juvia! What are you doing here?" The silver haired man asked with a smile.

"Actually, Juvia needs a favor…" She said shyly, looking down at her feet.

The glass master smirked. "You need me to build you another water tank?"

"Yes…"

"You'll need to call Gajeel over so that he can be here in about three hours, but sure!"

"Thank you so much, Lyon-kun", Juvia said with a little bow, earning a laugh in return from Lyon. You don't need to bow down to me, Juvia. It's a pleasure to help you."

The blunette nodded. "Juvia will call Gajeel now."

"Do so", and with a wave of his hand, Lyon returned inside, starting to heat up the glass for Juvia's water tank.

oOoOoOo

"Eh, Water Woman, ye'r gettin' back 'nto business?"

Juvia smiled at the blacksmith.

"Yes, Juvia need the money that it brings. Gajeel-kun's not getting back into the gambling?"

The studded man violently shook his black mane, his hands working with the metal.

"Nah, it's nowt really somethin' for me."

Juvia snickered at that, covering her mouth with her hand. "You sure, _Iron Fist_? You sure gambling's nothing for you?"

Gajeel froze at his old gambling name. "Shut yer trap. The past is in thee past."

He looked up at her. "Ye'r just gonna stand there? We need ta get this shit done and it'll take some days anyways."

Juvia raised her head. "Well, Juvia was about to leave anyways. She has to study for the test next week."

"How do ye even get tests in _art_?"

Juvia smiled a bit, but decided not to answer as she left the building.

oOoOoOo

There were one factor coming back to her, time after time, no matter how much she tried to think about other things.

The ink haired owner of the strip club. _Gray-sama._ His features were perfectly synced, his light skin doing good along with the black hair of his. His rude attitude didn't even bother her, seeing how she'd spent so much time with Gajeel. Her heartbeat went up just _thinking_ about her Gray. Because he was hers, she would make sure of that.

oOoOoOo

**I'm sorry mina-chan! I would like to make this chapter longer, but I'm sorta going to my piano lesson now and my little sister and dad are looking over my shoulders at what I'm doing and well :/**

**I MANAGED TO MAKE A THOUSAND WORDS AT LEAST BE PROUD**

**I'm in a bit of a hurry, but thanks again for all the reviews and ratings and asdfghjkl it makes me happy just thinking about it! They are really, finnicking appreciated.**

**I realized like now that I could've just named the club Fairy Tail, but that's so common and I wanted Gray in charge instead of Makarov **_**and I couldn't resist the Gray's Anatomy pun**_**.**

**BYE FOR NOW! UWU**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: AAAAAAH I GOT SO MANY SWEET REVIEWS ****AGAIN**** I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ARE YOU GUYS BEING SO NICE **

**.**

**I am the hand that holds the flag**

**I am the pickpocket in the centre**

**I am the bomb in the terminals**

**In the bag left behind**

**I am the first cold rains**

**I am the frost where nothing grows**

**I am the half year of darkness**

**In the land that god forgot**

**I am the teargas in the handbag**

**I am in the Rave Commission**

**The xenophobic policy**

**I am the suicide statistics**

**I am the backcountry, the Rohypnol**

**I am the jealousy, the alcohol**

**I am the fast SMS-loans**

**I am the drive within the schoolyard**

**.**

**All for all and one for one**

**All for all and one for one**

**All for all and one for one**

**Like so we start over again**

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**.**

**IT'S SO MUCH BETTER IN SWEDISH BC IT RHYMES AND I AM SORRY FOR PUTTING THE FIRST VERSE RANDOMLY INTO THE FANFIC BUT IT'S BEEN STUCK IN MY HEAD FOR A WHILE AND IT'S REALLY REALLY REALLY GOOD**

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**qweenoa: YOU ARE CUTE UWU**

**xgasai-yunox: I am gonna read your stories when I finish this chapter ;) and thanks again :)**

**Aya-himexX: you are great and I AM updating ;)**

**BrigitteoO: I feel so young and unexperienced now o/o and I like you as well! :) Hehehehehe I don't really know myself and thank you THANK YOU once again asdfghjkl ;D**

**Shadow Mystery: I AM NOT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS HAH but srsly tho you're gonna find out soon enough (probably in this chapter, even) and THANKS**

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**So, high time for me to get my lazy ass to business, right? Can't take forever to write the author's note, that's not what you're here for! :)**

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**IGNORE THE DOTS THEY'RE THERE BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM I CAN'T SKIP LINES**

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**(And yes, it's Gray's point of view!)**

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**oOoOoOo**

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Gray had no interest whatsoever in the strippers.

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Sure, even he could figure whether a girl was hot or not, but it didn't matter to him, not the slightest.

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He just wanted the club to go around – he didn't really know why, but it brought in a lot of money that was well needed -, and as long as the men got what they wanted Gray couldn't care less about how the girls looked.

He wasn't attracted to any of the many strippers they've had – Lisanna, before she moved to become a model, Cana, Lucy, Levy, Erza once or twice along with Mirajane, Bisca…

Satisfying his needs was one thing. But to actually get turned on because of a girl wasn't anything for him. Friends and girlfriends were all too bothersome.

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"A little more to the left, Juvia", an all too familiar voice said behind him.

_Please, let it __not__ be him_, he thought. _Not _ –

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"Gray?"

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_FUCK._

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"What are you doing here, Lyon?" Gray said as he sighed and turned around to face the silver-haired bastard. He was faced with an odd sight – Lyon and Juvia carrying a _water tank? What the hell?_

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"I'm helping Juvia install the water tank, of course.", Lyon said as if it was the most casual thing in the world.

"_Why is there even a water tank here?!" _Gray threw up his hands in confusion.

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Juvia blushed at his question..

"G-Gray-sama told Juvia to do her dancing, a-and Juvia needs a water tank for her performance, so she-she brought one.", she mumbled, looking down.

Gray was startled by her words, at the least. He didn't think she had the courage to speak up to him, even if it was just mumbling.

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He held up his palms in surrender.

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"Yeah yeah, whatever. As long as it doesn't break or disturb anything, it doesn't matter to me. Do whatever you want", he said and left them alone to complete their task.

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Because even though Gray wasn't a complete asshole, he wasn't going to help whatever chick who got here.

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oOoOoOo

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He couldn't take his eyes off her.

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Somehow, the shy, blushing girl had transformed into something completely different when she was on stage.

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Her long, deep-blue hair was flowing around her beautifully, the neon lights illuminating her skin and making it glow with a blue-green undertone from the water. Her mermaid tail fit her like it was her own and not a costume, and her dance-acting was the top of it all.

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She reached out for the men with a seductive smile playing on her lips, making them mesmerized reach out for the glass, only for her to giggle and swim away.

Gray had to fight to urge to do as the other men.

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Her dancing around the pole in the middle of the tank was seductive, playful, hot and lusty. She was an excellent dancer alright, and she was the only one of the girls who'd thought of acting like she did.

She was a true star and he was proud to have a girl like Juvia performing in his club.

.

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Yet he couldn't get over the thought of having seen her before.

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She and her performance somehow felt familiar. It felt like something you remember in the back of your head, like remembering a song without fully remembering the lyrics. He couldn't grasp the details.

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Oh well, he'd just have to watch the performance to the end and then ask her about it. That's what he thought. But Juvia's danceact was too much for even Gray the ultimate tsundere to handle. In order not to give in for the temptation and start clinging to the glass, he _had to run outside._

.

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It was easier to think straight when he was sitting alone in the shabby street without the lights, the sound, the smells and _her_.

Where had he seen her before? And why was she getting to him? Juvia was just an ordinary girl who happened to be way too shy for his liking and called him sama and _who were freaking __hot_.

Gray _was_ a guy after all. And you'd have to already be lovestruck to not get attracted by Juvia. Even Gray got red faced at the thoughts of what more her body could do.

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Shaking, he lit a cigarette.

Gray wasn't used to these kinds if feelings. Attraction, lust, desire…

He just hoped he'd get over it once she was out of that tank, once she wasn't looking at people with that seductive look, once she wasn't _wet_.

Maybe water was a turn on for him? No, that couldn't be. He'd seen his fair share of hot girls at the beach before.

Blue hair? Nope. He wasn't attracted to Levy, no matter what kind of dance she did.

Mythological creatures?

…

That could actually be it. He hadn't seen one before if you didn't count Evergreen, but she was dating Elfman anyways and her attitude sucked. Reasons not to get attracted to Evergreen.

Other than that, he hadn't seen mermaids and stuff like that. They reminded him of the rumored Underwater Princess who'd quit her business some years ago. He'd just seen a brief glance at one of her shows, but he'd never forget it. Such a shame she quit.

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"… Gray-sama?"

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The voice cut off his thoughts and he turned his head up with a jolt.

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"Juvia?"

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The girl sat down next to him, a blush at her cheeks and her hands neatly folded in her lap.

"Juvia was just going to get some real air after using all the oxygen tablets", she told him with a shy little smile.

_So she can speak without stuttering_, he thought.

"Nice performance", Gray said shortly.

"G-Gray-sama really thinks so? Juvia is so glad!" Juvia squeled, making him roll his eyes in amusement.

"Look, Juvia, where did you dance before?"  
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The girl stiffened.

"Juvia can't really remember any place in special! Sumimasen!" But her voice was a bit higher than usual, making Gray seriously doubt that statement.

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"Juvia", he said, boring into her blue eyes, "did you dance at Phantom Lord?"

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**oOoOoOo**

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**CLIFFHANGER ENDING I'M SORRY**

**It's 10:41 pm here and if my parents finds out I'm on the computer they'll kill me :/**

**This chap probably needs a LOT of editing, but even so, I'm fairly proud! It took me a while to write and it was funny to do Gray's POV!**

**.**

**And remember, reviews are super fucking appreciated (look mom I learnt how to spell) :D**

**Stay fine :)**


	4. Chapter 4

I still don't get why you keep giving me sweet reviews. My fanfic's really not that good. It's really appreciated tho.

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Those 999 things I would never do

They are weighed up to 999 worse things I have done

Those 999 things I would never do

They are weighed up to 999 worse things I have already done

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BrigitteoO: uwu thanks. Really. It makes me jittery to read this ( ^ω^ )

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Darkangellily: CLIFFHANGER INDEED (・ω・)ノ and I am? Wohoo! It was really just a little idea of mine I got sometime :) thank you thank you thank you

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Guest: New chapters for the Guest at table nine! Do you want to pay with your soul (jk)

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Shadow Mystery: Sorry! None of the chapters are edited and it was late when I wrote it, so in fear of my parents I didn't quite think it over that much. I can't edit on my iPad, but I will later! And thanks!

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The Leaf Dragon Slayer: I WILL DON'T WORRY (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

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Guest (the other one, you with the caps uwu): YES SHE IS IDK AT FIRST I WAS JUST THINKING THAT GRAY SHOULD TOTALLY HOST A STRIP CLUB AND JUVIA SHOULD MEET HIM AND THEN I JUST REALIZED THAT SHE WOULD BE A STRIPPER AND ROLLED WITH IT

THANK YOU *･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･* I AM UPDATING DON'T WORRY!

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Piru: Yeah. I suck at descriptions, because I always tend to make them sound so flat and the sentences so short, but I'll try :) I saw your review after I finished this chapter, so I'm sorry to probably disappoint you once again. And thank you! :)

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By the way, sorry for Juvia being so OOC later on in the chap. Couldn't resist.

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oOoOoOo

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Juvia froze at the spot. How did he...

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"W-what? Ph-Phantom Lord? No!" She shrieked and waved her hands in front of her embarrased face.

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Gray sighed deeply.

"Juvia. I've only known you for a couple of days, but even so I can tell you're lying."

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What was going to happend now?

She looked down at the ground, and when she lifted her head up, her eyes were filled with tears, something that shocked Gray.

"Please don't kick Juvia out! She knows it was the wrong thing to join Phantom Lord but that was long ago! Juvia does not want to leave this club! Please excuse Juvia!" She bowed in front of him, shaking from crying and her lips almost kissing the ground.

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"Juvia! There's there's really n-no need for you to uhm.." Gray struggled with his words.

Juvia looked up and was faced by a bare, muscular chest.

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"Gr-Gray-sama!" She shrieked, her voice higher than usual.

He looked down at his body.

"Shit! When did this happend?!"

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Juvia had a really hard time restraining herself from touching him. She barely even knew him, yet there was that need she felt every time she saw him. And to have him halfnaked in front of her! There were limits to what a girl could take.

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"Gray-s-sama, why'd you strip?" She asked, her back facing him as she hugged her knees.

"I uhm, it's sort of a habit I have."

"What kind of person has a habit of stripping? Are you an exhibitionist as well as a club owner?"

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She was shocked by her retort. Why'd she even reply in the first place? A humming or something agreeing would've been enough!

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Gray chuckled a bit, just like he'd done that first time.

Did he find her amusing?

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"You're quite the bold one at times, aren't you?" She turned around and saw him shaking his head, grinning. "I'm not a flasher, promise", he said and held up his palms in front of him.

"You sure about that?" She mumbled, slightly pointing with her shoulder towards his now bare legs.

"When did this even happend?!"

"Juvia's pretty sure it was when you told her you weren't a flasher. Perhaps you were just strengthening your statement, Juvia doesn't know."

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She could feel Gray's stare. She could sense his wide-open eyes, his mouth gaping and his chin probably touching the ground. Juvia wasn't even sure why she'd replied. The words had just come out of her mouth before she could stop them!

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After what seemed like an eternity, Gray managed to answer her.

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"I don't think you'll be one talking, stripper", earning a snort from her before he continued. "Which leads us back to the subject. You were the rumoured Underwater Princess, am I correct?"

"Juvia wasn't that rumoured." She turned around to face him, who was rolling his eyes.

"Everyone in this business knows about you. I'm not kidding. Ask anyone - sweet Jesus, you could ask Natsu and he would know. And Natsu's denser than a rock."

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Juvia blushed.

"She's really not that much, Gray-sama shouldn't praise her like this!"

Gray gave her an odd look.

"I'm not praising you. I just stated that you were famous."

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Her blush deepened. Ofcourse he wasn't praising her, what had she been thinking?! She wasn't good enough for that.

"Why did you quit?"

.

The sudden question made her blink in confusion.

"Phantom Lord shut down." Didn't he know that?

"No, I mean why did you quit? Shouldn't you've been able to continue at some other club?"

.

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She sighed and looked down at the pavement, rain beginning to splatter onto it. Good.

Juvia both loved and hated the rain. It'd been a part of her as long as she could remember. It was in her soul, and it was both her freedom and her captor. It helped her think, calmed her down, inbedded her loneliness.

Yet at the same time, it never left her alone. The rain always brought her sorrow and her grief up to the surface.

It would drench the world around her, yet it would connect her to all the people of the world. The rain was her emptiness and her luck, her own space and her isolation cell.

.

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"Juvia wasn't happy", came her short and silent reply after a long time of thought.

"You weren't... Happy?"

"No."

"That makes the two of us."

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She looked up and found Gray smiling at her. A soft, honest and gentle smile that made it feel like her heart would pound out of her chest.

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"I hope our club will make you happier."

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"It already has, Gray-sama."

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oOoOoOo

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Soooo I'm sorry that it's short but it's almost midnight here and I'm tired and having a headache and I hate writing on my iPad. :(

.

Anyways, I'm having horse back riding tomorrow, and on Saturday I'll go to Spain! I promise to try update as much as I can (I can probably write on the plane), but I certainly wont be able to update everyday.

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I love you guys,

.

Bai for now


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm writing outside the airport. :/**

**Jk I was before but now I'm at the hotel watching Eurovision Song Contest. :)**

**Go Sweden (totally impartial ain't I)**

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oOoOoOo

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After the embarrasing heart-to-heart talk he'd had with Juvia, he wasn't that fond of going inside again.

Sure, the backyard was gray and rainy and cold, but it was quiet and peaceful as well, which was something you couldn't say about the club.

If those words were ever used to describe it he would send the person who uttered them to the psyche.

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Gray wasn't really sure why he liked the club so much.

It was a worn-down local, that may or may not've been a castle a long time ago. It was made of some kind of musty wood with only a few decorations on the walls. The bar looked like it belonged in an old western saloon.

But no matter how rusty it was, the strippers and the gamblers and the entertainers and the whole happy - if not very loud - atmosphere was enough to make him glad to be there and make it go around.

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His nakama were after all he had.

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So after the club closed at two am, Gray was sort of sad to go home.

He waved his goodbyes to Natsu, Lucy, Erza and the others and that left him with the uneasy feeling of being lonely.

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At least until he got to his apartment.

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Because Gray had been a lonely dude ever since the town he lived in burned down alongside with his family. Sure, his teacher/fostermother Ur and her student/fosterson Lyon had been there, but now Ur had frozen in a glacier and Lyon was still an asshole, so life was in short lonely.

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That was until he reached his apartment and saw someone sleeping outside the next door.

A very familiar blunette someone.

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He smirked and shook his head. She may've been a very famous stripper some time ago, but as she had said it was a while ago and she'd gotten used to a normal person's day routine.

Sighing, he lifted her up bridal style and took her inside his flat.

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Gray was cleaning his apartment.

He was cleaning it for the first time in fucking forever.

All because a certain familiar someone was sleeping in his bed and he didn't want her to wake up in a dump.

Why did he even care what she thought?

The answer was pretty obvious. Juvia was innocent (well, as innocent as possible for a stripper), beautiful and pure. He didn't want her to be surounded by something that wasn't. It might destroy the beautiful.

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Sighing, he lay down on the couch. His apartment seemed so much lighter now that it was clean. He threw a glance at his watch. 3:30 pm. And he had to get up in three hours. He looked over at Juvia. She looked so vulnerable lying there, but god damn it, she looked so peaceful and happy he could feel a lump in his throat of overprotectiveness. Sure, she was a little crazy and shy and he barely knew her, but hell no was anyone going to hurt her. Gray wouldn't allow that.

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_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

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Shit!

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Gray woke up with a jolt, confused since he had been sleeping on the couch.

He looked at the alarm. 8:00?! _How?!_

He'd been sure he'd put it at 7:30? School started in thirty and it was a bit to walk.

As fast as he could, he threw on some clothes and was just about leave the flat as-

.

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"Gray-sama?"

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Fuck.

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She was obviously tired, sleepy and _oh-so-cute._ He gulped. She was still wearing her blue and green mermaid outfit, and her hair was messy.

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"What is Juvia doing here? What's the clock?"

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He quickly explained to her that he'd found her outside her apartment, as she blushed.

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Then she panicked.

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"Where are Juvia's keys?! Juvia has nothing to wear...! Why didn't Gray-sama just knock on her door?! Her roommate would've let her in!"

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He stopped in the dooropening, staring at her as she scolded him. _She __scolded__ him?!_

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Gray looked at his watch. 08:12. Damn.

He ran inside, grabbed the biggest shirt he could find and a belt and threw them at her.

"Dress. If you're coming with me, dress. Hurry."

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She nodded and ran inside the bathroom.

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Surprisingly, Juvia didn't take more than a minute to put on the shirt as a dress with the belt around her waist. Huh. He'd thought she would take longer, like most girls did.

Her shoes were the same she'd worn yesterday.

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"Wait, did you say you had a roommate?"

"Yes. Juvia will introduce you two someday. He is very nice."

_"He?!"_

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"Gray-sama, why are people staring at Juvia?"

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He looked around to actually find people talking behind their backs, pointing and glancing. They'd barely made it to first period, and now people were staring at them. Urgh. Gray did not want to bother with this today.

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"Does Juvia look funny?"

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He stopped and looked at her. Her blue hair was flowing over her shoulders, his shirt showing a lot of her clevage - which was breathtaking and it took him all his power to tear his eyes away - but hiding most of the hourglass figure he knew was there, until the belt showed off her thin waist, and then her legs - _damn, those legs_. Gray was weak for legs. The only ever turn-ons he'd had were because of legs. And Juvia's were the most beautiful he'd seen.

They were pale, slender and looked so smooth he could just imagine what they'd be like, wrapped around his waist and-

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Let's stop the thought train there.

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He cleared his throat. "Not as far as I see." Gray shrugged.

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Juvia looked down at the floor. "Maybe it's because... Because Juvia is ehrm we-wearing Gray-sama's shirt".

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Gray blinked. Shit. He hadn't thought of that when he gave her the shirt. Would people think they were dating now? His face flushed red at his previous thoughts.

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"... Let's just ignore them."

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Truth to be told, Gray hadn't even thought about the fact that Juvia might go to another school until they've arrived at his, and then she'd said she had to go to her class and he had realized that they went to the same school.

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Fairy Tail.

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And he thought he knew every student there?

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oOoOoOo

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**Okay so it's at least over 1000 words. uwu**

**It's almost 12 pm. :/**

**bUT WHO CARES I'M ON HOLIDAYS AND THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT THE WINNER BAI**


	6. Chapter 6

**IMPORTANT A/N AHEAD:**

**.**

**.**

**I missed to reply to the reviews. Sorry :(**

**Reviews are my drug I am serious I could live on them uwu**

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**Shadow Mystery: Yeah. Althought it seems like I've got plenty of time :/ Thank you!**

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**Guest: I am writing more uwu arigatō**

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**BrigitteoO: Yeah. It's a bit odd but I'll explain more below and in my head Juvia looks so freaking fabulous uwu thanks ;3**

**.**

**Freshie95: Neither. Truth to be told, my idea of the future of this story is pretth vague.**

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**RainxSnow: YOUR COMMENT MADE ME SMILE LIKE THE CHESCHIRE CAT FOR THE REST OF THE DAY**

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**.**

**Sooooo I realized that you guys probably are wondering why Gray's in school and whatever, so I guess I'll explain.**

**.**

**I don't really know the American/ British/ whatever-country-you're-from-'s school systems work. In Sweden, you start first grade when you're seven, and after nine years you go to the gymnasium where you go to your preferred line and then after three years you can go to the university.**

**However, there are special courses and Komvux - that is basically the same as the gymnasium/university but for those who didn't go to it before.**

**.**

**Somehow I managed to mash it up and now it may seem like Gray's in high school.**

**He's not.**

**.**

**He was supposed to be in some kind of college, studying to be a sculptor (don't ask me why, I have no idea), but well, what kind of club owner goes to school?**

**.**

**Basically, he's taking extra courses over the club thing since he doesn't wanna spend his life in it, and those courses has some times to pass. The others are pretty much doing the same thing, although some (like Juvia) has a more strict schedule and more lessons and over all more college/high school like.**

**I know I fucked up the last chapter so please, don't think too much about it.**

**.**

**.**

**Hope I explained it clear enough :)**

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**HAVAHAHAH I noticed after quite a while when I was writing this that I'd written the last sentences in Swedish I have no idea why like what hahaha**

**I wrote the "came the husky voice of Gray Fullbuster to Juvia's right", in Swedish and it took me like a long time to figure out what was wrong meahah**

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oOoOoOo

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Gray didn't even know what to do about the whispers anymore.

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He tried ignoring them, in the beginning, focusing on the sculptering, focusing on how his hands roamed the sleek and cold limestone, focusing on how to pick on it with the chisel.

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But soon enough, he found that the voices were too loud for him to concentrate.

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He turned around and shot a glare at the females behind him who were chattering endlessly about her.

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Gray didn't know what to think about Juvia.

She was weird, creepy and sort of odd, but she was also very nice, very amusing and very cute - at times sexy as well.

As said, he didn't know much about her.

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But he knew one thing.

She wasn't a person to be talked about like that.

It was too filthy for someone like her.

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Even after his glare, the whispers didn't die down.

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_"Do you think they're dating?"_

_._

_"Nooo... Gray is not the dating type."_

_._

_"Unfortunately..."_

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A snicker.

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_"Besides, even if he did, he wouldn't date someone like her."_

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Gray froze at the spot, chisel in hand and the waves of his sculpture almost done.

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Someone like her? Was that supposed to be an insult?

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_" I suppose you could kill for her clevage, but other than that, she's not really much in my opinion. She's not even worth knowing the name of."_

_._

_"I heard she speaks in third person. What sane person does that?"_

_._

_"How are you so sure she's sane?"_

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Another snicker.

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_One. Two_. Gray desperately tried to calm down. _Three. Four. Five_. He would _not_ rage over some comments about a girl he barely knew. _Six. Seven._

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_"I heard she'd been taken drugs in the past. Was supposed to get into a rehab but ended up in the psyche since the staff thought the bitch was crazy."_

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Pieces of soapstone shattered all over the three females's desk, their work in ruins.

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"_Sorry_", Gray told the girls, hammer in hand, voice laced with sarcasm. "I didn't think it was something on that desk since you were only blabbering all the time."

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The girls stared at him dumbfounded for a moment, before beginning to clean up their desk in silence.

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oOoOoOo

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Juvia didn't know Gray went to her school.

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Sure, she'd seen him at occasions in the back of her head but since they didn't share a class and since they never talked, she didn't connect him with Fairy Tail.

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She thought she knew everyone there.

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Her class had finished a while ago and she was sitting in the library by herself, skipping out on lunch. What was the point in going there when she had made herself bread and she had noone to sit with anyways?

Besides, people had been staring at her all day because she was wearing _Gray-sama's_ shirt and Juvia hated it.

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"Juvi-chan!"

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Juvia's head jolted up from her book (_the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_).

Big, brown eyes and messy blue hair held back by a hair band stared back at her.

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"L-Levy-chan?" She asked doubtfully.

"Yes! What are you reading?"

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Juvia held up the cover of her book and Levy squeled in delight.

"I love that one! Are you into classics?"

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Juvia nodded. She'd grown up with two single books, _Oliver Twist_ and _Robinson Crusoe_, and reading books like those two gave her nostalgia.

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"Then I bet you'd LOVE the _Count of Monte Cristo_ and _the Three Musketeers_ and _Dracula_ and-"

Juvia smiled at her enthusiasm. Gajeel would like the girl.

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_Gajeel_.

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_Damn_.

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She needed to tell him why she didn't come home last night. He must've been worried crazy, although he'd never admit that.

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"Levy-chan?"

"Mm?"

"Would you please excuse Juvia for a moment? She needs to make a phone call."

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I've got Harry Potter to keep me company, so I'll be alright."

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Juvia nodded. She stood up and went outside the library doors, before taking right and walking into a restroom, sinking down on the toilet lid.

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She hated public bathrooms. She hated all narrow and smelly places. Small spaces were usually fine, she didn't have claustrophobia, it wasn't that. Juvia just hated it when there was an odd smell along with it and a feeling of unclean-ness. It made her feel odd and afraid to touch anything.

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"Gajeel?"

"What, Rain Woman? Ye decided to finally call me after ye spent tha whole night at some random place?"

"Juvia is sorry! She fell asleep outside the apartment and-"

"_What_?"

"- Gray-sama next door took her in. Gray-sama's very kind."

"Whoa, just... Whoa. _Gray-sama_? ... Who's that?"

"The man next door!"

"..."

"Ye do realize that he probably just wants to sleep with ye?"

.

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Juvia's face turned red at his statement.

And what was worse, was the fact that she wouldn't completly mind it.

She swallowed.

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"Not... Gray-sama. Besides, Juvia was asleep."

She heard Gajeel grunt in the other end of the line.

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"Sure, sure, whatever ye say, Rain Woman. Just come home tonight, eh?"

Juvia snickered a bit. He may seem harsh and tough, but Gajeel really was a softie.

"What's so funny? I don' care what ye do, I just don' want ye to get yaself raped or somethin' because that would cause me trouble!"

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She smiled. Gajeel could try and hide it how much he wanted, but Juvia knew he cared about her.

"Juvia will."

"Good."

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And with that he hung up on the phone, leaving Juvia alone in the small restroom.

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"I had no idea you went to Fairy Tail!"

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That was the phrase she'd been hearing all day. From Levy, Lucy, Natsu, Cana, Erza and a lot, lot more people.

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_Was she that invisible?_

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At the moment she was sitting in the worndown cafeteria that looked quite a bit like a saloon, at table 14. She was sharing it with the rest of the people from _Gray's Anatomy_ and it was a totally new experience for her.

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Fine, at Phantom Lord she'd had Gajeel, but it wasn't really the same thing.

Back then, their friendship had been like "_I protect you if you protect me_".

Here, the friendship was more "_I like you and you and you so let's hang out and yes invite everybody you know because they seem nice and then we all can hang out and that would be awesome_".

.

Not that she minded, but Juvia didn't know what to say or what to do.

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Especially not when Gray sat next to her and everytime their legs touched under the table it sent chills through her body, causing her to stiffen.

She hoped he didn't notice.

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"So, what line are you taking?"

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Juvia's body was stiff and on the edge from Gray's absent minded touches, and the question made her jump in her seat.

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"J-Juvia is taking photography" she managed to get out.

"Really? Is it funny?" Levy asked her.

"... Yes..."

"What line'll you go, Luce?" Natsu asked the blonde.

"It's Lucy, and writing? I thought you realized from stealing my schedule."

.

Natsu scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, right..."

"I'm taking teaching", said Levy, "and Cana's taking drink mixing or whatever it was called."

"I'm taking sculptering", came the husky voice of Gray Fullbuster to Juvia's right.

.

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_Damn it!_

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She was a strong, independent woman who needed noone. She wasn't supposed to blush because a guy was talking to her!

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Yet here she was, face flaming because Gray was talking. About the non-sexiest matter ever.

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Or well...

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Now that she thought about it, sculptering wasn't unsexy at all. Rather the opposite.

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She glanced at his hands.

Rough, strong hands who despite their appearance could make the prettiest and tiniest details, who could be so gentle...

.

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A brush of his knee snapped her back to reality.

"Well, do you guys have anymore classes today?" Gray asked the group.

"Nah. Finished some time ago", Natsu said.

"I'm gonna go home. I need to sleep before tonight..." Levy said.

"Juvia's finished as well."

"Mhm", agreed Lucy and Cana.

"See you tonight then", Gray said and stood up to leave.

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Juvia wasn't slow to stand up as well.

"Juvia will follow Gray-sama! It was nice meeting you again."

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Lucy giggled to herself. _Gray-sama_? It looks like Mira would have some matchmaking to do.

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**LAMEST ENDING EVER I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW. I JUST HAD TO END IT SOMEHOW TO MAKE THIS CHAPTER ACTUALLY COME OUT I'M SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG**

**.**

**And yeah, next chap'll be in tha club again. ;)**


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